Raleigh's Josh Hamilton doesn't have to, and it's not because he has earned a spot in the Reds' starting lineup.

Hamilton is a recovering alcoholic whose professional baseball career was almost derailed because of alcohol and drug abuse.

"They asked me to carry the beer one time, and I told them I felt very uncomfortable doing that," he said Thursday by phone from Houston.

"No one has ever asked me to carry it again. Everybody knows my story."

Hamilton was out of baseball for four years with drug abuse problems and injuries before Major League Baseball allowed him to return to the game last summer in the minor leagues.

He said his Reds teammates have made him feel at ease. The team has a blend of veterans and young players, and all of them have been understanding.

"No one has offered me a drink or put any pressure on me that way," Hamilton said. "If they decide to drink alcohol, that is their decision, but I have no desire to drink again."

The Reds acquired Hamilton's rights in December from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, who had made him the first player selected in the 1999 draft.

During spring training, Hamilton led the Reds' organization in batting average and worked his way into the starting lineup. He led all rookies with six home runs in April and drove in 13 runs. His batting average slipped during the past week to .254, but he was voted the National League's rookie of the month for April.

"I've had so few at-bats that a couple of good games could get my average back to .300," said Hamilton, who went 1-for-1 in Thursday night's 7-5 loss to the Astros to raise his average to .264.

He said his slump was caused by a lack of focus against right-handers. "I was just too aggressive," he said. "I was swinging at balls I shouldn't have. I was seeing the ball well and was just trying to do too much.

"But [Wednesday] night, I had good at-bats and really hit the ball hard twice, but it was right at people. That's baseball."

Baseball can be a frustrating game, but Hamilton's wife, Katie, says they are enjoying every moment.

"After what we've been through together, difficulties on the field are the easy part," she said. "Baseball is a tough game to play, but it's nothing compared to what we've been through."

Katie Hamilton said she was amazed when she saw her husband play this spring. Although she and Josh were in school together at Athens Drive, she had never seen him play baseball until last summer when he was slowed by injuries much of the time.

"I didn't know he could play like this," she said. "He is so fast and hits the ball so far."

She travels to most of her husband's games and is a stabilizing force in his life.

"After the games, I get Katie, we eat a late supper, watch a little television and go to bed," Hamilton said.

His two young children usually travel with Katie but are visiting her family this week in Raleigh. Josh's parents, Tony and Linda, plan to be in Cincinnati for the next home series.

"It really hits me sometimes where I am," Hamilton said. "Especially when you go into one of these beautiful parks and there are 40,000 people telling you that you stink."

Cincinnati manager Jerry Narron says when he looks at Hamilton, he sees "a player that's just scratching the surface of what he can do. When he gets a lot of game time and a lot of at-bats, he's got a chance to really be something."